Tube dispenser with integrated bendable tabs

ABSTRACT

A container may provide a locking mechanism to maintain a rolled up body in place after uses. The container may include a deformable body, an outlet end, and a sealed end. The sealed end may incorporate bendable tabs that may fold over and lock the body into place when the body is rolled or folded over to dispense contents from the container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to containers, and more particularly, a tube dispenser with integrated bendable tabs.

Conventional viscous material dispensers may suffer from providing efficient access to stored contents. For example, accessing toothpaste stored in conventional toothpaste tubes may involve squeezing the contents out. One common approach to accessing the contents after a few uses is to roll the sealed end of the tube to force the contents forward. Typically, the tube unravels back toward its unfolded form after the user stops applying pressure to the folded end. Each successive use may thus require re-folding of the tube to reach a point where the contents may be force out.

As can be seen, there is a need for expediting access to the contents of a viscous material dispenser.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a container comprises a tubular, deformable body; an outlet end configured to dispense viscous material stored in the body; a flat, sealed end distal from the outlet end; and at least one bendable tab projecting outward from the flat, sealed end, orthogonally to an axis extending through the body from the sealed end to the distal end.

In another aspect of the present invention, a container, comprises a tubular, deformable body; an outlet end of the body configured to dispense viscous material stored in the body; a flat, sealed end of the body distal from the outlet end; and a pair of bendable tabs extending beyond corners of the flat, sealed end, wherein the tabs are made from a same material as the body.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a container in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective bottom view of the container of FIG. 1 with bendable tabs securing a rolled up end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a locking mechanism to secure the position of a deformable container's body after it has been deformed to squeeze out the contents.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, a container 10 is shown according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The container 10 may be configured to store and dispense therefrom a viscous material. Exemplary viscous materials contemplated for use according to embodiments of the present invention include for example, pastes, toothpaste, lotions, cosmetics, adhesives, etc.

The container 10 may include a deformable body 20. The body 20 may be made from, for example, plastic or pliable metal. In an exemplary embodiment, the body 20 may be made from polyethylene lined with aluminum. The body 20 may be tubular however in some embodiments the body 20 may use a different shape. An outlet end 30 may be coupled to the body 20. The outlet end 30 may be straight or threaded. The body 20 may include a sealed end 40 that may be distal from the outlet end 30.

The sealed end 40 may include an end strip 45. In some embodiments, the end strip 45 may be made from the same material as the body 20. The end strip 45 may include bendable tabs 50. The tabs 50 may extend beyond the sealed end 40, projecting orthogonally from the ends of the end strip 45. In some embodiments, the sealed end 40 may include a support structure 60. The support structure 60 may be a resilient bendable material.

In an exemplary embodiment, the sealed end 40 may be roughly a ¼ -½ inch thermo-welded plastic seam or crimped end. The tabs 50 may extend from the sealed end 40 beyond the sides of the body 20. The support structure 60 may be, for example, a bendable wire embedded along the width of sealed end 40. This embedded bendable material may be easily manipulated by users to fold over from the ends of the end strip 45 back in toward the main portion of the end strip 45 and unfold back into a straightened disposition and may remain in either state with little effort in its bent or extended position.

Once a certain portion of the contents of the tube body 20 are dispensed such that the body 20 may be flattened from the bottom and rolled up several times, the bendable tabs 50 may be folded back over the rolled up portion of the tube body 20 holding their position thereby locking the rolled up, empty portion of the tube body 20 in place (FIG. 3). The remaining contents in the tube may therefore be held biased toward the outlet end 30 compressed and ready to easily be dispensed. By keeping the contents ready to easily dispense, users can avoid the common problem of squeezing a tube from the middle which may result in too much of the contents being accidentally dispensed and therefore wasted, or too little of the contents being dispensed without re-flattening the tube and pushing the remaining contents back up toward the outlet. As may be appreciated, several uses of the container 10 may allow the user to progressively and conveniently encourage the contents toward the outlet end 30 thereby allowing users to save time and more effectively dispense even the last of the contents without wasting the remaining amount

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A container, comprising: a tubular deformable body; an outlet end configured to dispense viscous material stored in the body; a flat sealed end distal from the outlet end; and at least one bendable tab projecting outward from the flat, sealed end orthogonally to an axis extending through the body from the sealed end to the distal end.
 2. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one tab is configured to secure the sealed end into place in response to the sealed end being folded over along the body.
 3. The container of claim 1, further comprising a bendable support structure disposed within at least a portion of the sealed end and within at least a portion of the tab.
 4. A container, comprising: a tubular, deformable body; an outlet end of the body configured to dispense viscous material stored in the body; a flat, sealed end of the body distal from the outlet end; and a pair of bendable tabs extending beyond corners of the flat, sealed end, wherein the tabs are constructed from a same material as the body.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein the body is configured to store and dispense toothpaste. 